Pipe bender



- Sept. 20, 1932.

s. N. BUCHANAN 1,878,754

PIPE BENDER Filed Oct. 1, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS.

' JTfPHEN N. Elli/1AM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 s. N. BUCHANAN PIPE BENDE'R Filed Oct. 1, 1930 Has.

Sept. 20, 1932.

avwent oz- Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT STEPHEN N. nucaarmn, or ELI IIZ ABETH,

OFFICE NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMAS IBETTS 00., F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY 'rrrn Barman Application and Octoberl, 1-930. Serial No. 485,594.

This invention relates to pipe benders which provide'an arcuate form corresponding substantially with the are through which a pipe is to be bent and having pipe'holdmg holding the pipe in contact with'the form while the pipe isbeing bent thereupon.

The pipe holding means ordinarily takes the form of a pivoted hook which is first m swung away from the arcuate form inorder to insert a pipe in position for bending and is then swung towards the arcuate form in order to clamp or hold the pipe ,in position against the form .for bending. This. pipe securing means as heretofore known must be manually pivoted away from the'form before a plpe' could be inserted upon the pipe bender.

In bending a pipe upon the arcuate ,format the point where the pipe contacts with the arcuate form but some initial bending occurs several inches distant therefrom. Flattening of the pipe frequently begins, therefore, out-. side of the groove sothat the side walls of the groove cannotsupport the sides of the pipe and prevent flattening thereof at least for the initial bending.

The handle by which the bender is rocked to bend pipe is a pipe several feet long and is threaded into a socket in the bender. The length ot the handle necessarily provides large leverage and the force applied'at the end of the handle is magnified many times at the threaded socket of the handle in the bender. The threading of the end of the pipe handle also weakens the handle so that this weakening with the great force which the handle must transmit to the bender causes means at oneend of the arcuate form for,

'vide a pipe groove upon which the pipe'is bent operation, the sides of. the:

the handle to break ofi at the end of the threads. p i

It is an object of this invention to provide plpe holding means which returns to pipe inserting position away from the arcuate form as soon as the pipe holding means is released ,from apipe which has been bent upon' the bender.

Another object of the invention is to prov1de a groove to'support the sides ofafpipe orm;

' to be bent upon the arcuate pipe bending which groove is substantially greater in depth than the diameter of the .pipe. other ob iJect of the invention is to proender in which the arcuate ha'san increasing depth from oneend to the other with the minimum depth being adjacent to the, pipe holding or securing means.

A still further object of the invention is to 7 rovide a pipebender in which the pipe v ender' handle is supported by a means L spaced-from the socket or other means which receives the end of the pipe bending handle.

Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the taken in connection drawings-in which; Figure 1 shows a pipe bender having an arcuate groove which increases in. depth from no one end to the other, the minimum depth of groove being at the end havinga pipe securing means which is also shown.

" Figure 2' is an enlargedsection through the pipe bender taken on line 22 of Figure Figure 3 is an enlarged section through the following description with the accompanyinggroove of the pipe bender taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1. v 1 Figure v4 shows a ]pipe bender having an arcuate groove whic is uniformin depth but the depth of the groove is substantially Ig-ezter than the diameter of the pipe to be Figure 5 is a section of the 'taken on line 5-5of Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows the position of the pipe securing means at the end of and with respect pipe; bender to the groove with a pipe secured therein as 1 I viewed from the end of the pipe securing means.

Figure 7 shows a pipe bender suitable for bending thick walled pipe and in which the depth of the groove is substantially less than the diameter of the pipe.

Figure 8 is a partial section of the'pipe bender of Figure 7 taken on line 88.

Th pipe bender consists of .a frame 10 having anarcuate form 11 with side walls 12 5 means.

. ameter 'of the pipe P. These proportions fixed but the imin the depth of the groove are not may vary through a wide range,

portant element being that the groove has 80' pipe such as that descrl side flanges which are greater in height or the groove is greater in depth than the pipe diameter at points distant from thepipe securin means. This construction enables a.

ender to be as light in weight as possible and 'yet conform to the invention.

In bending a len h of pipe with a tool, ed herein, it has been found that the pipe begins to bend some distance from the point where the pipe contacts with the arcuate form as the pipe is being bent thereupon and, consequently, the bending frequently begins outside of the groove so thatthe groove cannot offer any support to the pipe during this initial bending and prevent its flattening. It is for this reason that the pipe bender is provided with 'a groove whose depth increases from one end of the groove to the other or which rovides a groovehaving cam-shaped side we ls. The groove may also form 11 taken upon the are of a circle and the outer edge of the side walls 12 are taken upon the are of a second circle whose center is spaced from the center of the first circle.

In this construction the side walls of the deep groove offer support against flattening of the pipe even though the pipe is not con tacting with the bottom of the groove atjtheg bending -is taking place'JT It is immaterial therefore that someactual point where some bending of the pipe occurs some distance from the point the arcuate form since the side walls of the groove project outwardly far enough to support the sides of the pipe at the point where the ipe begins to bend.

v e frame 10 of the pipe bender is provided at one end with a pair of lugs 15 which carry a pivot 16. A pipe securing member Where the pipe be said to have an arcuate toning wherethe pipe contacts with 17 is pivotedbetween the lugs 15 and upon the pivot 16. The pipe securing means may be a hook 18 carried by the member 17 and engages the underside of the pipe'P. A spring 19 keeps the hook 18 or pipe securing means in pipe inserting position away from the end of the groove or arcuate form 11 wh ch is better shown in Figure 4:. The spring 19 may take any desired form and the sprlng shown in Figure 1 is wrapped around the pivot 16 and has one end 20 engaging the side of the pipe securing member 17 and the other end 21 engaging the frame 10. A stop 22 is provided upon the pipe securing member 17 which engages the stop face 23, on the frame 10 thereby limiting the extent of pivotal movement of the pipe securing means.

The frame 10 carries a threaded socket 26 or pipe receiving means for inserting the threaded end of a handle 27. Theframe 10 also'carries a support bracket or bearing 28 spaced above the socket 26 through which the handle 27 projects and provides additional support for the handle 27 The pipe benders described herein may be used tofbencl'pipe by inserting the pipe in the p1pe'.securing means and the groove providlng the arcuate form as the piece of pipe P lies upon the floor. The operator then grips and pulls upon the handle 27 to rock the bender with respect to the pipe and bears down upon the tool to keep it upon the floor.

ner, the edges of the side walls 12 of the groove may serve as rolling surfaces as the pipe is bent.

- In bending a piece of pipe it is diflicult to keep the bender incontact with the floor and usually the force exerted in bending the pipe lifts the bender completely off the floor somewhat as shown in Figure 1. The actual bending of the pipe therefore usually first begns at a point some inches from the point where the pipe is at the moment contacting with-the arcuate groove which in the pipe benders heretofore known is'outside of the influence of the side walls 12. Frequently then the-pipeis not supportedjagainst flat- ;by the side walls of the groove at least for this initial bending; The increased depth of groove or the groove having increased height of side walls 12' enables the pipe to be supported against flattening even though the pipe bender does not remain in contact withthe floor F and the initial bending of, the pipe P begins some distance from the point where the ipe contacts with the arcuate form 11 as it is being bent;

In the construction shown in Figure 4, the side walls 12 of the arcuate groove 11 are of substantially uniform height, or to express thisprelation in difi'erent words, the pipe bending'g'roove is of substantially the same depthfrom one end to the other end of the arcuate bender is used in this man-.

form 11. This groove is, however, substantially greater in depth than the diameter of the pipe P to be bent thereby. In other respects, the pipe bender of Figure 4 is substantially the same as that shown in Figure 1. In this construction-the depth of groove or the height of the side walls '12 is suflicient to support the pipe as it is bent even though the pipe bender cannot be kept upon the floor with the consequent initial bending of the pipe taking place some distance from the point of contact of the pipe with the arcuate form 11. The bender shown in Figure 4 can be expectedto be heavier than the form shown in Figure 1. The groove in this style of pipe bender is substantially greater in depth than the diameter of the pipe throughout the length of the groove whereas in the bender of Figure-1, only the portion of the groove distant from the pipe securing means is so proportioned or where it is particularly needed.

The lugs 15 carrying, a pivot 16 retained therein by a cotter pin 33 upon which pivot the pipe securing means 17, 18 is mounted so This construction will not be again described.

' bending thin walled and the spring 19,20. 21 to keep the pipe securing means in released position awa from the responding structure shown in Figure 1.

The pipe benders described and illustrated in Figures lthrough 6 are adapted principally for the bending of thin walled pipe. The pipe bender shown in Figures 7 through 8 is for bending thick walled pipe which is relatively more difficult to bend. For bending thick walled pipes, the arcuate form 11 is shorter in extentthan the form or groove for pipe. In order to bend a thick walled pipe through a long radius of curvature, it must be bent as much as possible along the short arcuate form 11 and then moved to a new pos tion and again bent and repeating this process until the required curvature is obtained. Thick, walled pipe does not flatten as easily as thin walled and therefore the support of the side walls 12 is not as necessary to prevent flattening of the ipe. The side walls 12 in this embodiment o the invent on is approximately three quarters of 9 the pipe diameter in height which offers sufficient support for a thick walled pipe as it is bent. 'In other respects the pipe bender is substantially the-same as the thin walled pipe bender in having the spring retracted ppe 5 securing means and handle support, excepting that the handle support 28'is positioned at a greater distance from thethreaded socket .26 thereby affording increased support for the handle 27 and the pipe securing hook 18 30 extends over the groove in pipe securing position. A

The invent on described ht-ireinmay take various forms some of which have been described and illustrated in the drawin s.

Other forms may be constructed and the i n groove, are duplicates of the cor-.

vention contemplates all forms within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. A pipe bender having an arcuate form substantially of the radius of the bend to be formed and along which arcuate form a pipe is bent, side walls for the arcuate form providing an arcuate groove, the side walls of the groove being arcuate throughout the length of the groove and increasin from one end to the other resulting in a groove of increasing depth, pipe securing means at the end of the arcuate groovehav ing the minimum depth, and a handle to exert bending force upon'the pipe to be bent. 2. A pipe bender having an arcuate form substantially of the radius of the bend tov be formed and along which arcuate form a pipe ,is bent, side walls for the'a-rcuate form providing an arcuate groove, the side walls of the groove being arcuate throughout the length of the groove and increasing in height from one. end to the other resulting in -a groove of. increasing depth, pipe securing means at the end ofthe arcuate groove having the minimum depth, the groove at the end distant from the pipe securing means having a depth substantially greater than the diameter of the pipe, and a handle to exert bending force upon the pipe to be bent.

3. A pipe bender having an arcuate form substantially of the radius of the bend to be formed and along which arcuate form apipe g in height is bent, side walls for the arcuate form prohandle to exert bending force upon' the pipe to be bent.- v I 4. A pipe bender having anarcuate'form substantially of the radius-of the bend to be formed andalong which arcuate form a pipe is bent, side walls for the arcuate form providing an arcuate groove, the outer, edge of ,the side walls being formed on the are of acircle having a center spaced from the center of the arcuate form providing a groove of in-v creasing depth from oneend to the other end. pipe securing means at the end of the arcuate groove having the minimum depth, the groove at the end distant from the pipe securing means having a. depth substantially substantially of the radius of the bend to be.

formed and'along which arcuate form a pipe is bent, thc arcuate form having a substangroove and being less inheight tial length, side walls for the arcuate form to exert bending force upon the pipe, a pipe.

securing means at one end of the arcuate groove and movable away from the groove to pipe inserting position, and means to retain the pipe securing means in pipe inserting position prior to the insertion of a pipe therein.

7. A pipe benderlcomprising an arcuate groove along which a pipe is bent, a handle secured to the bender to exert bending force upon the pipe, a pivoted pipe securing means at one end of the arcuate groove, and resilient means to hold the pipe securing means away from the-arcuate groove in pipe inserting position.

8. A pipe bender comprising an arcuate groove within which a pipe is bent, a handle to exert bending force upon the pipe, a pivoted pipe securing means at one end of the arcuate groove, and a spring engaging the pipe securing means and holding it in pipe inserting position away from the arcuate groove.

9. A pipe bender comprising an arcuate groove within which a pipe is bent, pipe securingmeans at one end ofthe arcuate groove, a handle for the bender, means to rigidly secure the end of the handle to the bender to exert force in bending a pipe, and rigid handle supporting means spaced at a substantial distance from the securin means to rovide additional rigid support or the ban le.

10. A pipe bender comprising an arcuate groove within which a pipe is bent, pipe securing means at one end of the arcuate groove, a handle having a threaded er to exert force in bending the pipe, a threaded socket carried bylthe-bender to securethe end for the bendupon thepipe, a pivoted pipe securing means at one end of the arcuate groove, resilient means to hold the pipe securing means away from the arcuate groove in pipe inserting position, and stop means carried by the pipe securin means to limit the extent of movement of the pipe securing means away from the arcuate groove.

13. A pipe bender comprising an arcuate groove havinga substantial arc of curvature within which groove a pipe is bent, pipe securing means at one end of the arcuate groove, a handle for the bender, a socket adjacent the arcuate groove to receive the handle, and a rigid handle supporting means spaced at a substantial distance from the socket to provide additional rigid support for the handle.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

STEPHEN N. BUCHANAN.

end of the handle thereto, and-a supporting j bushing spaced at a substantial distance Ifrom the handle reeeiving means through which the handle. passes.

' 1.1. A-. .pipe bender comprising an arcuate groove nponwhichapipef sbent, a handle secured tojthe bender to exert bending force upon the pipe, a pivoted pipe securing means at one;, end; of the arcuate groove, resilient t hold the pipe securing means away from; the

ua'te groove in, pipe inserting position, and stop means to limit the-extent of movement-of the pipe securing means away from the arcuate groove.

.12. A pipe bender comprising an arcuate groove upon which a pipe is bent, a; handle secured to the bender to exert bending force 

